Dying Coals
by CelticPhoenixProductions
Summary: For young girls in love there comes a tipping point; either to express their affections or to depart from them altogether. Sometimes such ultimatums come naturally, becoming another segment in the natural flow of life... and sometimes they are forced, causing damage that will ripple into the ether for ages to come... [Real World AU] "Souls Beyond Time - Part 5"
1. Part 1

_~Forward~_

 _Installment five of 'Souls Beyond Time'!_

 _I made a personal demand of myself before beginning to write this one, which was finishing chapter five of my novel… which is sitting at almost 20,000 words… The chapter that is, not the novel. The novel is around 60,000 at current. Yes, chapter 5 is 1/3 the length of the novel. No, I don't know how that happened. Yes, I'm scared people will drop the book there. But, eh, c'est la vie._

 _We're finally diving back into Sayaka and her issues! This will probably be the one story in the collection with the most… unusual twists and turns to it. You'll probably see what I mean in the second part. This is another of the plot ideas that helped formed the entire 'Souls Beyond Time' series. It's also a rare part of the series that is actually planned to be a two-parter, unlike Tinder and Charcoal which were both supposed to be single chapter fics._

 _So, without further ado, I give you an angsty blueberry!_

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Ave Maria", _Madoka Magica OST_

O/o\O

 _Dying Coals_

When she was young Sayaka had professed that she wanted to be a knight when she grew up, that she wanted to be a strong, heroic figure to save the damsel in distress and return home a champion of justice from distant lands.

They were childish dreams. She had been told so by her parents, by her peers, and even by her friends.

But one day she had told this ambition to someone, someone who hadn't blinked an eye, who hadn't questioned the blunette's vehement proclamations for a second; a young boy with silver hair and an unearthly talent for the violin.

Kyosuke Kamijou was quite possibly Sayaka's oldest friend, rivaling Hitomi and only narrowly beating out Madoka by a small margin.

He, along with Hitomi, had become Sayaka's first real posse, meeting before school, hanging out over breaks, doing homework together. And while that dynamic had changed when he had dived into perfecting his musical craft, he still remained close to the two girls.

And yes, the distance that popped up between the three, physical as it was, was emotionally painful, but Sayaka wouldn't have Kyosuke give up on his dreams for anything. He was aiming to become one of the greatest violinists on the planet, and Sayaka knew he would get there.

She remembered the very first time she saw him play; they'd been eight at the time, and seeing him hansomed up in a tux and bowtie still gave her the shivers. He'd been so little in comparison to everyone else on stage, but the minute his bow had hit the violin's strings all eyes had been sucked right to him. The other people on stage had melted away and Sayaka distinctly remembered crying at how beautiful the sound was.

That was the moment she knew she'd fallen head-over-heels in love with the boy.

Admittedly, she hadn't realized it at the time. She was too young to understand that bubbling feeling and had simply stuck to the boy as best she could, like some kind of adoring gnat. But come 3 years, sexual education and the onset of puberty and she realized why exactly she had problems talking around him in coherent sentences and why her palms sweat if he even so much as glanced at her.

It had almost been nine years since she fell in love with him… and yet she couldn't even stomach the thought of confessing. It had become a running gag in her circle of friends that there was a betting pool on when she'd finally spill or when he'd get scooped up by someone else, and while she despised the joke she couldn't deny the truth buried under it.

Sayaka was procrastinating at love, was hindering her chances to be happy with him, and yet…

He could always say 'no'.

Kyosuke was a passionate young man, but his demeanor had always been polite and quite despite the underlying fire. This led very often to him casting the unnecessary riffraff of the day to the side in favor of focusing on what he loved. And while she was sure that he loved her back she was equally unsure about him holding romance in very high regard. At best he could possibly see it as an unnecessary time sink and at worst he might even consider it a dalliance that hindered his artistic pursuits.

And it was this unease that kept Sayaka at arm's length for nine years of her life.

She wondered how Madoka and Mami had managed it as long as they had, the discomfort of not knowing what the other person was thinking. Maybe Hitomi hadn't been wrong about needing to reach a level where partners could read each others' minds…

Then again, there was nothing normal about Mami and Madoka's relationship, starting with the minute Sayaka had first learned about it.

It was supposed to be a day out with the two, getting new phones together using money left over from a rather relaxing Christmas. The suggestion had been at Madoka's behest initially, who proclaimed she wanted to get something nice before Sayaka, Hitomi and her graduated come spring.

Having finished her chores at home early, and knowing that Madoka had stayed over at Mami's the night prior (something that only became suspicious under the filter of hindsight), she'd decided to make her way over there so the three of them could go out early, maybe even get a bite to eat.

Instead, through a series of boneheaded thoughts, Sayaka had misconstrued a sound from beyond Mami's front door to be a cry of pain from the blonde. After scrambling for the emergency key and bursting into the apartment, she found it to be anything but. Instead of finding a burglar assaulting her sempai she found two bouncing pink pigtails between the older girl's legs, with Madoka apparently _also_ thinking that it was a good time to eat out.

Sayaka blushed at the memory, snapping her eyes closed even harder at that pun that had weaseled its way to the surface of her thoughts.

Madoka had scrambled, weakly trying to justify that she'd dropped something. The blush on her cheeks (among other… _stuff_ ) told otherwise.

So the day had turned out more interesting than the three had expected, with Madoka and Mami explaining exactly where they stood before the trio decided to depart for the phone store. Apparently the two had kept the relationship a secret since the Christmas before last, meaning it had been just a little over a year where Sayaka's best friend had hidden the fact that she and another one of their very close mutual friends had entered into a pretty explicit relationship.

Though, it _had_ clarified some weird things she'd seen happen over the last year. For one, Madoka breaking down in happy tears at Mami's graduation seemed to make more sense. She'd known the pinkette to get emotional, but the waterworks had seemed like a little overkill for what was ultimately a pretty mundane event. The other were the occasional fallings out between the two that had happened over the year where they wouldn't talk to each other for a week or two before suddenly returning to normal without explanation.

Madoka had been nice enough to clear that up, explaining that both of them had their fair share of edges to smooth out in the relationship. Mami was apparently a little clingier than she let on, and while Madoka didn't elaborate, it did add up how so much of the pinkette's time in the last year had suddenly gone up in smoke. Madoka, on her part, had anxieties over measuring up to Mami's expectations, especially because she already had self-image issues from before the relationship started. While Madoka hadn't gone into specifics about any of what had been fights over the past year, the girl _had_ expressed relief that she could confide in Sayaka now instead of bottling up her concerns about Mami.

Which begged the obvious question from the blunette; why had the two kept quiet for an entire year? To which Madoka gave a less than satisfactory answer. Short story, it had been a game. Long story, they were uneasy with the relationship and didn't want to disrupt the group dynamic since everyone was still off-kilter with their loss of a member two years prior. The two developed a game around it in order to make it easier, and they'd not felt a need to break the game, even after a year.

While the groan Sayaka had given after that probably broke the sound barrier, she was at least happy to see two of her best friends in the world happy together. The couple had opened up a bit around her, even came out to Hitomi to Sayaka's surprise. Holding hands, brief chaste kisses; the two were very endearing, even though they were going through extra lengths to be subtle, especially when out in public. And that look the two shared between them, the soft smiles that Sayaka would catch when neither of them noticed... well, they warmed the blunette's heart… and made it hunger for something just like it.

At times Sayaka caught herself swapping places with one of the two in a dreamy recreation of when she'd walked in on them; sometimes in place of Mami, others in place of Madoka. If she was honest, and she felt guilty with the admission, she'd lingered on those thoughts some nights, lingered on that pure, genial warmth that wafted off the two in waves. Sometimes she even caught herself wanting to forgo Kyosuke entirely and throw herself at the two, to leech on that warm aura. But she passed off those feelings as frivolous crushes, ones ultimately born by her own mind to challenge her devotion to Kyosuke.

Which brought her back to her own quest for love and how crooked the road had become.

Madoka had explained that she and Mami weren't exactly… right. Part of the struggles in their relationship came from emotional traumas long past. But, they worked together to pull each other out of their holes, no matter how far one of them sank. They were each others' knights and each others' damsels, a notion that seemed so incredibly romantic to the blunette that she couldn't help but get behind it the minute the concept plopped into her head.

How many times had she fantasized about playing opposite her predisposed role? To become the damsel in all those stories, to be faint and dainty, to fall into Kyosuke's arms after he rescued her from some vile pursuer? Such fantasies were nice, especially the moments she imagined after in the lonesome quiet of her room, illuminated only by the screen of her laptop and the finest princes the internet had to offer.

Still, something revolted inside her at the notion that she would be the frail end of the relationship. The dream of being pampered by a prince was sweet, but it was a dream nonetheless. She was content to play her part of the 'hero', even if it meant she wouldn't have quite the robust wish-fulfillment she wanted.

And then something mundane had happened; some rain, a puddle, some marble flooring and a shattered bottle.

Sayaka had been the first person behind Kyosuke's parents to arrive at the hospital and the definitive first when the news had come down about the partial paralysis ailing the left side of his body, about the torn tendons in his wrist.

For the first time in her life, in her role as the hero, Sayaka had found her 'damsel'. And the thought absolutely killed her on the inside.

Kyosuke's prospects in the future were shattered in an instant. If he was lucky, he'd regain control of his limbs in the grand scheme, but the odds of fine motor control returning completely were beyond astronomical. Music had been torn away from the boy without a single warning, and the news had crushed him.

Those had been lonely days for everyone, everyone except Madoka and Mami, Sayaka supposed. There was a reason Sayaka hadn't probed about Madoka vanishing on her; she had spent almost every other day cooped up at the hospital trying to support Kyosuke. Every thought had been hijacked by the need to ensure his comfort and safety, to give him the best recovery he could ever have.

He had isolated himself first, until about two weeks had passed when Sayaka got sick of sitting outside in the hall and finally confronted him. Had it not been for how desperate she was to get her concern across to him he probably would have just told her to leave again by the end of her rant. But no, the two sussed out a visiting schedule, dependent on when he was feeling well, and she'd kept him company at least once each week since.

At some point along the line she'd struck upon the idea to collect music for him, to give him CDs to occupy his time, rare music to fawn over. She reasoned that while she couldn't provide miracles, maybe she could provide a fraction of what he loved about performing to set his mind at ease. The idea was a hit and she'd did what she could to bring him CDs every week to refresh his collection. Hell, she even collected books on music theory and composers he liked, hoping they'd help him pass the time.

Months had passed since their pattern emerged, and Kyosuke was happier. Even after she started college she kept it up, trying her best to be there when the boy wasn't in therapy or visiting the on-site psychologist.

And things were good. He was taking large steps towards regaining his ability to walk with his left leg, and his left hand apparently had occasional spouts of feeling.

And yet, despite all she had done to try and better his life, she had not confessed.

Sayaka stepped out into the brusk, bitter air, sinking her chin beneath the folds of the red scarf around her neck and affixing the white knit cap atop her head. November was colder than she remembered, and she was briefly thankful for the central heating the hospital had, else poor Kyosuke would probably become a Kyoscicle.

The blunette snorted at her internalized joke, shaking her head of the strange strand of thoughts and memories that had dominated her mind the last few minutes. Leaving the hospital always brought out an assortment of emotions from the girl.

"Oh Sayaka!"

The student perked at the voice, eyes trailing to her right to find a wavy haired grunette clad in beige ushanka and coat, giving her a gentle wave.

"Hitomi! What are you doing around here?" Sayaka grinned, walking up to her friend. The two shared a hug.

"Actually, I came looking for you. You just got out from visiting Kamijo, yes?" Hitomi asked, shifting the satchel over her shoulder. "Would you like to come get a drink with me? I was hoping to talk with you about something important; something about Kamijo."

The blunette's smile waned somewhat as she sensed a shift in her friend's words. The cheer and honesty were still there, but the closer she got to the end of the sentence the more the words became hollow and dull, despite the outward sound.

"Uh, yeah, that'd be fine. There's a coffee shop not too far down that way," Sayaka replied, pointing just down the street. "We can talk there, if you like."

"I would appreciate that, Sayaka," Hitomi nodded.

The two stood there for a moment, neither moving, an uneven air surrounding them. It was stifling, almost like a heavy sauna despite the freezing twinge at the edge.

"Uh, right, well… C'mon 'Tomi, let's get going! I was hoping to go shopping for groceries after this," the blunette cheered, choosing to dispel the miasma with a boisterous proclamation.

Hitomi's smile waned as Sayaka's had, but only so briefly before she responded, "Yes, of course. Lead the way!"

And just as instructed, Sayaka lead the grunette down the street.

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Chippoke na Jibun", _Mirai Nikki OST_

O/o\O

Sayaka shivered, trying to soak in what rays of light were streaming in through the window. She momentarily mused that a bright sunny day shouldn't be so cold, especially when seated in a nice comfy coffee shop, but those thoughts were cast aside when Hitomi sat down across from her.

Contact with the grunette had been sparse since they'd graduated, though the distance seemed to do good for their relationship, smoothing over the last edges from a mistake they'd made together before high school. They went to different colleges these days, so unlike Madoka and Mami who attended the same school, seeing Hitomi was a crapshoot of schedules and planning. So Sayaka tried to savor moments like this, despite the growing unease that seemed to be clouding the mood.

"Have Mami and Madoka been doing well? I haven't talked with them in a couple of weeks," the grunette started, stirring some creamer into a fresh cup of coffee.

"Well, you know them, being all kissy-kissy and goo-goo eyed over each other. Makes me jealous, to be honest," Sayaka chuckled, taking a sip from her own piping hot mug. Hot chocolate; a childish dalliance on her part, but one she found refreshing after knocking back so much Coffee on a couple all-nighters.

Hitomi shivered, eyes squeezing shut, "Please, I was just asking if they were healthy is all, I don't need details like that. You know how uncomfortable it makes me…"

The chiding was good natured. It was true that Hitomi never quite acclimated to the idea of same-sex couples, or the apparently more malleable leanings her friends seemed to have, but the girl was good about expressing her unease as a personal issue and never once tried to blame her friends for some kind of immoral behavior. Sure, from time to time she cracked a joke here or there about it ("Girls can't love girls!" from those far-off halcyon days had become a running gag among the group), but she was always very considerate.

There was a small stab of guilt at Sayaka's chest. Her brief fling with Hitomi, if it could even be that, was most likely what set the grunette on a prudish route, even beyond the formal upbringing. It was one of those moments that Sayaka wished she could take back, not because of her own emotions which had settled on the matter a long time ago, but on her friend's account.

"Alright, alright, I'll cool it," the blunette replied, rolling her eyes. "But yes, they're doing well. In fact, Mami got a car about… what? A week? Week and a half ago? One of those real energy-efficient ones… the hybrids or whateveryacallsit."

"I thought she wasn't a fan? Where does she park it?" Hitomi asked, taking a sip.

"The building has an underground parking garage. Her family had a space paid for already with her apartment. And she's not exactly comfortable with it, but she got a part-time job at this really ritzy bakery that doesn't exactly hit the right train lines, so it was more necessity than anything," Sayaka elaborated, swishing her lips to the side in a half-scowl. Mami's fear of cars had been a rare topic of discussion, but she couldn't deny her own unease. And if even Hitomi was off put by the idea of Mami behind the wheel, Sayaka could only imagine what Madoka was feeling. Deciding a topic change would be better than dwelling on the issue, Sayaka hopped to the point of the chat, "So… what did you want to talk about…?"

Hitomi's soft smile fell away in an instant and Sayaka knew immediately something very unpleasant was coming.

"Right… well…" Hitomi cleared her throat, setting down her coffee and folding her hands very properly in her lap, straightening her back. "I… This isn't exactly the easiest topic to breach, so I apologize if I seem blunt or overbearing." Now Sayaka's face fell, lagging behind the grunettes only by a few seconds and a few spoken words. The girl continued, "I have been your friend for almost as long as I have been alive, and in that time I know how close you've become with Kamijo. I know how much you love him and I understand that you would do anything for him. But I also know that you're unobservant and probably haven't noticed too often… I am his friend in very much the same way."

The blunette's throat tightened. Did that mean…?

Hitomi's eyes shot up to meet concerned cerulean, "I love Kyosuke Kamijo just as much if not more than you, Sayaka."

Sayaka froze, her fingers deadlocked around the cup, the calming warmth growing scalding hot with the prolonged contact.

"Hit… 'Tomi… Why are you telling me this…?" Sayaka managed to stutter out.

Hitomi closed her eyes and went to take another sip of her coffee before answering.

"Because I intend to confess to him within the next three days."

The air caught in the blunette's throat, her fingers finally wincing away from her cup.

"I… but Kyosuke and I-…" Sayaka started.

"Are just friends, Sayaka. You two are _only_ friends," Hitomi leveled her eyes in challenge at her, green boring in through Sayaka's skull. "You have passed up every chance to change that, to tell him, and yet you've shirked the courage needed to do so at every turn. I have watched you flounder, and while my feelings are most likely younger than yours, they are no less passionate about making him my own. In three days time I _will_ confess to him, of that I am more than intent; I am determined."

Sayaka pawed at her mug and lifted it to her lips, the container shaky and spritzing her face with boiling liquid as it neared. She winced, but downed a sip in vain effort to calm herself.

"But, _why_?" the blunette growled, "Why tell me any of this? Why not just do it?"

Hitomi's defiant expression softened, became sad, "Because I love you Sayaka. You're like a sister to me, you _and_ Madoka, and I want to see the both of you happy. I've waited so long to tell him because I thought that one day you'd be happy with him and I'd be able to move on… But I just can't wait any longer, especially since the accident."

"The… h-he's going to be fine…" Sayaka muttered, her bangs falling over her eyes as her head lulled forward.

"He's not, Sayaka," Hitomi retorted, her voice raising in both volume and desperation. "His life, and anyone who spends their life with him, is going to be impossibly difficult, and I don't want to see two people waste away in denial when they both could be happier. I don't… After what happened with Homura, and then Kamijo's accident… And seeing you there day after day doing _nothing_ …" the grunette's voice drew on a malignant note, her face screwing in a grimace, "I'm not standing by any longer."

The girl collected herself, eyes carefully tracking the blue slumped form across from her.

"Three days, Sayaka. I'm giving you one last chance to tell him. In three days I'll confess, and I'll live with that decision, come what may." With that Hitomi finished her cup and left it to sit on its saucer. She stood, collected her bag and turned towards the door. "I want to see you and Kyosuke happy, 'Yaki. Please, don't pass up this chance to make everything right."

Sayaka jumped at the childhood nickname, though all the served was to make her silently slump all the more in her chair.

Hitomi, with her words said, quietly strolled towards the door.

And still, to Sayaka, her footsteps were deafening.

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Serena Ira", _Puella Magi Madoka Magica OST_

O/o\O

Sayaka's hands were shaking.

It felt like they'd been shaking for two days straight.

Two days.

Leave it to a B student like herself to procrastinate on something this important.

She flipped the jewel case around in her fingers, cuffs of her oversized sweatshirt clipping against its edges every few turns. The elevator was taking forever to reach the right floor.

A quieter part of her mind was nervous because this would be a rare occasion where she visited Kyosuke only a few days apart. The louder half was more preoccupied with how she was about to spill her guts to him. It briefly occurred to her that she may very well spill her stomach too.

Hitomi's words had hurt. Who was Sayaka fucking kidding? The words had _burned_ , searing into the blunette's core like a cattle prod.

But, as a prod does, it finally spurred the girl to action… if only when there were only a few waking hours of cushion. Still, the fact that she'd run out to the mall to find a present, anything that could convey how she felt along with her words, spoke volumes of how the challenge had affirmed her desire to secure the other teen's love.

Now though, as the elevator doors opened, she felt her confidence waning. Jellied legs slipped through the barrier, though they carried her no further than the first foot of hallway.

She didn't want to be doing this. It had occurred to her the night after Hitomi's declaration that the grunette was _right_. Sayaka was stuck in a perpetual fantasy, locked into believing that by spending enough time with Kyosuke would somehow prod him into making the first move, an endearment strategy with no bite and no end goal. She'd become complacent, and as a result it was quietly stunting the two of them from being friends or being more. With how difficult his life was going to be, he needed both of them to be at their best.

Her mind crystallized, the memory of two nights prior reenergizing her will.

Knuckles white, Sayaka stalked off towards Kyosuke's room, taking deep, shuttering breaths in an attempt to maintain her confidence.

The world was still as she knocked on the door and slid it open.

"Sayaka?"

Cerulean eyes bounced up to meet cool steel, the puzzled gaze of a young man with shaggy grey hair in a dingy green hospital gown.

The blunette gave a wave and a sheepish smile, slowly pacing over to the boy's bedside with her arms behind her back.

"Hey, Kyosuke! Hope you don't mind me popping in on you!" she said, her voice dipping into a moment of apology near the tail of the sentence.

A stream of emotions popped across his visage before he smiled softly and shook his head, "No, it's no problem, I just… didn't expect to see you."

"Yeah, well…" Sayaka sighed, plopping into a chair next to his bed. She'd planned for this question, mulling over any number of probable responses she could give. There was some embarrassment to admit that it had been more than just one of the reasons she hadn't gotten much sleep the last forty-eight hours. "I'm going to be busy next week with preparing for finals and my hours at the café are getting worse the colder it gets. I won't be able to swing by till the week after."

Another odd look crossed his face, almost like relief, before he nodded in response, "I see. Well, a little more time together doesn't hurt, now does it? Though are you doing alright? You have… bags under your eyes…"

He gave her a concerned smile, one that she tried to ignore but there was a moment of lapse in her demeanor when the hollow echo of sleep deprivation came knocking.

"What? Pffft, I'm fine…" she chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand. Kyosuke gave her a doubtful look and she sagged in her seat. Realizing that she needed something, she dug deeper in her bag of half-truths. She bobbed her back up just a bit to reply, "Well, actually, trig's been kicking my ass. Y'know, it was Madoka who really got the whole Math thing going for her. I don't struggle in English nearly as much…"

The concern in his eyes twisted to recognition, "You've got to stop staying up so late Sayaka. You keep it up and your grades will suffer regardless how much studying you get done."

The blunette rolled her eyes. Admittedly, a lot of the time she spent up late at night wasn't exactly studying. Not unless she was planning to become a cat herder on the internet or a music critic.

"Geez, you sound just like Hitomi. Stop it; it's weird."

The comparison slipped out easier than she would have liked. In fact, she hadn't been planning to say that at all. Instead, her body had willed it via autopilot. And the scariest part was that her little statement was the truth. Just how close _were_ Hitomi and Kyosuke? They'd all been friends roughly the same length of time, but only now was Sayaka actually beginning to notice the kind of impact the grunette had on the boy. His speech was more eloquent than most, his posture a little stiffer, his eyes a little more scrutinizing than any of their peers; it was scary to admit, but even with his professional violin training taken into account there was far more in the boy's behavioral ticks that reminded her of Hitomi than of herself.

Hitomi. Her thoughts, her words kept coming back to that harlo- that… traitor. She bit down the silent insult and composed her thoughts.

Kyosuke chuckled, "Because we both care about you, Sayaka. We want to make sure you're being healthy _and_ getting a proper education. It's possible to do both, you know, even if it seems impossible."

Doing the impossible. Right. Now wasn't the time to falter. She had a man to woo, and she was going to woo him with flying colors!

"Ah, but yes," Sayaka chirped, pulling the CD out from around her back, "Just because it's an off day doesn't mean I didn't bring a treat." She set the case down in Kyosuke's good hand, letting him grip it and give it a proper once-over, "I know he's a composer you liked, but he apparently to do this jazz album, so I thought it'd be a nice change of pace from the normal stuff."

"Yeah… I think that'd be nice…" he said softly. His eyes weren't exactly present, staring a touch past the CD even though they seemed to be locked onto it.

Sayaka bit her lip, words coming to her throat, a confession playing at her lips.

"Kyosuke… W-would you like to listen to it? Now, I mean?"

She slapped herself mentally, making a note to cut out her own tongue for its betrayal of their cause.

Kyosuke shifted in his bed, startle, "What? Oh, yeah… sure…"

Sayaka's hands jumped to the bedside table, nervously shifting through the various CDs lining it to grab the CD player. She pulled the minimalistic contraption apart and opened the new CD, plopping it in. Her hands were still jittery as they pressed play. Kyosuke held onto the player in his right hand, crossing it over his body for comfort, mimicking the sling he'd gotten used to months ago.

With the left bud in her left ear the sweet, warm tones of city jazz began to melt into her eardrums, and it was almost instantly soothing. Her nerves began to still and her confidence returned, even in the wake of chickening out.

She sucked in a breath and exhaled, her hands finally stilling. She opened her eyes, barely having registered having closed them. It seems as if minutes had passed already, her mind having been lost in the sounds of sax and piano.

Sayaka looked up to the boy, following the right headphone cord to its corresponding bud.

The words 'Kyosuke, I love you,' once more burned behind her teeth.

She only saw the tears dripping down Kyosuke's face once the violin finally joined the other two instruments of the piece.

"Kyosuke…?"

Only part of her confession made it out.

"Sayaka, do you hate me?"

The question took a minute to register, so long so, that the boy continued before Sayaka could stutter out a response.

"I… I keep thinking… 'why is she doing this to me?', but I can never think of a clear answer…" Kyosuke's voice shook, his body trembling.

"W-what? Kyosuke, what are you talking about?" she asked. Her heart was beginning to speed up. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

"You know what I'm talking about!"

Sayaka jarred backwards at the boy's sudden outburst, his voice rising in volume in time with his left arm. The shout was capped by the limp limb plummeting down onto the player, shattering the CD in one fell swoop.

Kyosuke's cheeks were stained at this point, his eyes red, "You come in here every few days, with CDs and music, and make me listen to every damn track like everything is normal. I… I'm never going to be able to play again, Sayaka! You _know_ that! I can't even feel my arm right now…" The boy began to curl in on himself, "Why? Just… Why? Why do you keep torturing me? What did I do to deserve this?"

The blunette froze, her jaw trying to form coherent words, "I… n-no, Kyosuke, I…"

"You what?!" he shouted, his eyes latching onto her shivering form, glaring knives into her skull, "You _what_ Sayaka? Every time you walk through that door I feel nothing but dread knowing that my best friend is trying to make me miserable!"

"I… I thought it would help…" Sayaka offered weakly, eyes wide and dripping with tears.

Kyosuke squinted, his grimace becoming pained, "You thought it would _help_? Did you even bother asking?"

"Did you bother even trying to tell me?!" Sayaka snapped back, her emotions finally taking full control; anger and panic had taken the wheel.

"I thought my _friend_ would have noticed, but I guess you're not very observant are you!? You've always had your head in the goddamned clouds too much to notice!"

That comment pierced her, chilling her blood down every lone capillary and vein.

"Just… get out of her, Sayaka!" Kyosuke huffed, shrinking in on himself and cradling his reinjured arm.

"K-Kyosuke…-"

"I SAID GO!"

Sayaka flinched to her feet, legs staggering back towards the door even as she knocked her chair over. She scrambled down the hallway, briefly pawing at the elevator until it finally let her on board.

She'd barely registered she'd left the elevator by the time her feet hit the brick walkway outside the hospital. She was angry. She was lonely. She was scared.

But most of all, she was just desperate for a way to stop the world from spinning.

O/o\O

 _~Author's Note~_

 _There we go, part one! Part two will be up in the next few days! I hope you're all ready, shit is about to get_ crazy _!_

 _As always, a plug for my YouTube (Celtic Phoenix Productions), plug for my (CelticPheonixProductions) and a plug for my commissions, which are still open! Please help me keep making awesome content like this!_

 _That's all for now, catch ya on the flipside!_


	2. Part 2

PART 2

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Singularity", _Glitchhikers OST_

O/o\O

" _See something?_ "

Madoka shivered, her eyes wincing against the blaring neon signs that seemed to stretch on past the horizon.

"Nnmh," she replied, shaking her head, a drip of water flinging from her nose.

She had wished she'd seen something. The lights were playing tricks on her eyes and all it served to do was exacerbate her anxiety.

"… _You alright, Madoka?_ "

Mami's voice was a calming presence in her ear. The pinkette sighed and tightened her grip on the umbrella.

"I'm just cold. And worried. Some hot chocolate sounds nice right about now…" she sighed.

" _Well, I'll make you some after we find her. Only two more places to check before we call it a night; she_ has _to be at one of them…_ "

Madoka nodded, picking up her pace, her boots kicking puddles up from under her frantic heels.

Sayaka had gone missing.

Mami and Madoka had been enjoying a peaceful night after a long day of work and school, only to receive a call from Hitomi sometime late into the evening. The grunette's voice had been calm, but it was only a veil placed over poorly restrained panic.

According to her, she'd talked to Sayaka's friend Kyosuke that afternoon and apparently the two had some kind of falling out. And while Kyosuke had expressed a desire to apologize, Sayaka wouldn't pick up her phone. Hitomi had gone home thinking it was just Sayaka being angry, but after a call from the Miki's claiming she'd never come home, she'd realized that Sayaka may have gone and done something more… drastic. Where this realization came from she was reticent about.

That, however, wasn't Madoka's concern. Before she'd even hung up she'd decided that she would personally go out looking for Sayaka, goading both Mami and Hitomi to join her. Her girlfriend joined without batting an eye, but the grunette backed out, saying that she may very well be a contributing factor in the fallout, that Sayaka would just be angry to see her.

Three hours and four stops later, Madoka was running around in the November rain, protected in part by a warm jacket and her umbrella, running a two-person search party with Mami. The couple had split, each searching different haunts that Sayaka favored; soccer fields, parks, coffee shops, music shops, game stores, most of which were closed now at this time of night.

Madoka frowned, realizing that Mami had been out just as long as she had and was most likely just as soaked. Spend a few hours in a downpour and it didn't matter how you used your umbrella; you weren't coming out of that situation with a set of dry clothes. The thought of her girlfriend cold and shivering only twisted on the growing knot in her gut. And then she thought the same of Sayaka, who was emotionally hurt and alone and was most likely just as cold and the knot blossomed even larger.

She picked up her pace.

Her last stop for the night was a coffee shop, one that Sayaka occasionally went to on her way to Mami's apartment, or so she said. Typically this would have been the first place that Madoka checked, but recent construction meant that it was difficult to get to from the hospital that Sayaka normally came from. It only took a glance right to see the pit in the road where a sinkhole had eaten the asphalt to confirm that it was nowhere near a sensible route.

When she got to the glass doors her heart sunk, finding the lights off and the sign flipped 'closed'.

"Mmmnnn…" she groaned, "It's closed…"

There was a pause on the other end, though she could still hear Mami panting on the other end.

" _Yeah… this one's closed too… Madoka… I think we're out of luck…_ "

Madoka's shoulders deflated.

"Where could she be?" the pinkette whined, wiping a tear from the crux of her eye.

" _I wish I knew, Kikya…"_

Madoka gripped the phone tighter, gritting her teeth and pressing it to her ear as a slow stream of tears released themselves, "…Sayaka…"

And like that, her feet started to carry her away from the café, empty handed saved for some soaked clothes and a distressed heart.

A heart that leapt when she caught a flash of blue out of the corner of her eye, a speck nestled just beyond the window of a nearby bar that was hopping with nightlife.

A heart that was sure that this time it wasn't a neon light.

"Sayaka!"

Her feet changed direction all their own, rushing towards the blunette in a daze.

" _What?!_ "

"Mami, I think I found her, she's at a bar near the Nakazawa Café!" Madoka explained, her hand resting on the door.

" _Uh… right… I think I know where that is. Do you think she's…?_ "

The pinkette looked in the window again, finding the blue speck to be a resting head surrounded by emptied glasses.

"Yeah… I think she might have gotten drunk…" Madoka winced.

" _I'll grab the car. You make sure she doesn't give herself alcohol poisoning. I'll be right there._ "

Madoka nodded, more for herself than her girlfriend, "Alright. We'll see you soon. I love you."

" _Love you too. Get in there!"_

Madoka pocketed her phone and pushed the door open, closing her umbrella in a single learned motion. A few patrons eyed her but no one approached. Soon enough all the curious gazes had fallen away, letting Madoka stroll over to her friend without the anxiety of eyes on her back.

The bar was modern, with rich oak surfaces and golden trim mixed with clashing steel panels and dim, jewel-like mood lighting. Patrons weren't exactly quiet, but for the time of day the mood was surprisingly mellow.

After a short trek she arrived at the slouched blue form, clothing disheveled with still drying mud crusting on every inch.

"Sayaka?" Madoka asked, her concern elevating after catching a glimpse of the blunette's clothing.

A garbled groan was the response, the contorted blueberry rolling to the side to reveal a tear-streaked face with bloodshot blue eyes.

"Hhhey… Madoka… You're lookin'… Fluffy…"

The pinkette smiled softly down at her friend, knowing she couldn't restrain the unease in her lips.

"And you're looking like a mess…"

Sayaka leaned back, almost knocking over one on of the _several_ tall glasses that had almost been completely emptied of a number of colorful liquids. The blunette feigned shock, arms drifting to her cheeks like they were plowing through pools of molasses, "Oh nnooo! I can' look bad for maaay… for my waifu!"

The girl hiccupped before lunging forward and wrapping her arms around Madoka, eliciting a surprised blush from the shorter girl and forced her down into the seat besides the drunk. Her embrace was warm, almost uncomfortably so, her arms were much stronger than Madoka would have thought given here inebriated condition, and her lips were far more chapped than she'd previously thought.

Wait, kissing?

Madoka's chest stopped as Sayaka pressed herself closer, deepening the sloppy lip contact before gently pulling back, leaving a trail of saliva that reeked of alcohol to coat their cheeks.

" _My_ waifu…" Sayaka mumbled, her lips still only an inch from Madoka. Madoka barely processed the acrid waft of the blunette's breath before she collapsed against Madoka in a sleepy pile, fresh tears dripping freely from her lids.

Madoka sat there, staring at her best friend in a state of pure confusion. She was still there, lost in thought, when Mami finally arrived to take them home.

O/o\O

The drive was short and quiet, both relaxed and somewhat tense in equal measure.

Sayaka's soft snores carried up from the back seat where she'd curled up on the bench seat, her head resting on a bunched jacket that Mami had scrounged up.

Madoka sat in the passenger seat, fingers wringing. Mami drove.

They were a minute out, about to pull onto the drive that'd take them towards the parking lot, when Madoka finally spoke.

"She kissed me…"

Out of the corner of her eye she caught Mami's fingers flex against the wheel and when they stopped at the stop light the jolt was a little sharper than it usually was.

"What?" Mami asked back, her voice soft, confused.

"Mnn…" Madoka shook her head and leaned into the seat, "I think whatever happened, Kyosuke really hurt her… maybe she just…" The pinkette sighed, deflating in her seat. It was a lot to process in a short span of time. She looked out the window, not able to bare the silence plaguing the car, "Sorry for being awkward. Tonight is weird."

Mami turned the car as the light switched to green.

"N-no, it's fine. It's not your fault," Mami hummed. "She's not in the best of ways right now. All we can do is try to take care of her until she comes around…"

Madoka nodded, resting her hand against the cool pane of glass, her clothes sticking to the seat's plush material.

"I…" the words were hard to get out, "I liked it, I think…"

There, she said it; the thing that had had her mind in a bind for the last twenty minutes.

Mami was silent, streetlight bent by rain occasionally sliding through the windows.

"…Do I have to worry?"

The words were calm, honest, but there was a twinge of emotional panic buried at the heart of it. This isn't what Madoka wanted with her admission, but it _is_ what she'd expected.

"No, no, never!" Madoka popped up in her seat, leaning over to peck her girlfriend on the cheek. Mami visibly relaxed, though some of the tension failed to flow away. And she wasn't wrong to remain a little bristled. "I just…" Madoka leaned back, pulling at her damp clothing, "I'm starting to realize I might care about Sayaka a lot more than… Well, than I realized…" The words were recursive, heavy, but honest. She was just as confused about what she was feeling as Mami, "I'm not looking for a breakup, or time apart or something… I don't know what I want, but it's not either of those. I wouldn't give you up for the world!"

The two in the front seat fluctuated between emotions so rapidly it was a surprise the car hadn't exploded from strain in the air tension alone. They pulled into the parking garage, the automatic sensor picking up Mami's parking pass and letting them through the security shutter without issue.

"I… I think I understand… It's… weird to wrap my head around, but I know you, Kikya. You've got more love in you than anyone I know," Mami finally spoke, her words soft, same as her distant smile. "I… I'd rather have a chat about this later, if that's alright…"

The words were said as the car pulled into its allotted space. Madoka cupped Mami's knuckles and gave the blonde a chaste peck to the lips, accompanied by a nuzzle to the older girl's forehead.

"That's fine. I love you, Mami," the pinkette smiled.

"I love you too, Madoka," Mami whispered back, the long day finally sagging on her shoulders. She looked in the back seat at the curled blunette, who was still peacefully snoring away. Mami let out a tired chuckle, "Let's get this rock upstairs, shall we?"

Madoka gave a positive 'hmph!" and leapt out of the car.

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Conturbatio", _Puella Magi Madoka Magica OST_

O/o\O

Sayaka awoke halfway up to the apartment. Groggy, but now partially sober, the girl had squirmed her way out of Madoka and Mami's carrying arms and walked the rest of the way herself, even going so far as to sit and pout on a stool at the kitchen bar once they'd gone in.

The minute the two stepped through the door, Madoka kissed her girlfriend on the cheek and began walking towards the bedroom, "Mami, I'm going to take a warm bath. I'll be out in a little bit, okay?"

Mami leaned her head down against the matted fuzz of Madoka's pink locks, "I thought you would, I put out a few things for you before I left with the car. Don't worry about leaving enough hot water for me though; I'll take a shower in the morning."

The pinkette nodded and skipped off down the hall, already busily pulling at her jacket.

Mami glanced at the somber Sayaka and decided that a hot cup of tea was just what they both needed. She sprung to action, gliding towards the teapot with a practiced grace and pulling the ingredients from the cupboard in the flash of an eye.

Soon enough she'd placed down two piping hot cups between herself and Sayaka at the counter, sitting down on the opposing stool. The blonde took a sip of her tea before finally taking her time to examine her former junior.

"…God, you're a mess…" she noted, raking an index finger through some cornflower bangs and letting them fall limply against Sayaka's forehead.

The blunette swatted the older girl's hand away, grumbling something under her breath.

Mami quirked a brow, "What was that?"

Sayaka lifted her head, eyes still half-distant, half-focused, "Do you have a name?"

"What?" the blonde asked, setting down her teacup.

The drunk stared undeterred and nonplused, "A nickname. You gave Madoka one, called her Kikya in the car… Did she give you one?"

The blonde choked in place, briefly patting her chest while she brought the cup back towards her face to chase the cough away.

"Uh… well…" Mami blushed, sipping her tea, "That's… uh… You weren't supposed to hear that… That's an 'us' thing…"

"Right," Sayaka slurred, finally picking up her cup and blowing away the steam, "Forgot you guys get your own language. Don't let me intrude…"

The blunette's tone was rather caustic as she finally downed a significant portion of the tea without flinching. Mami frowned.

"I'm sorry, but do you have some complaint about how my girlfriend and I handle our private matters, Miss Miki?"

Sayaka rolled her eyes and pointed at the blonde with her free hand, "Oh, don't go raising those decorum shields, Mami. You're going to listen to me bitch and moan regardless, might as well say what you mean."

Mami's frown deepened.

"Fine then, I'll be straight."

The blunette stifled a chortle, "Good luck with that…"

Mami's frown turned into a scowl, but otherwise ignored the joke and remained civil, "Madoka told me that you kissed her. I am wondering if you have any designs on her, romantically."

For the first time Mami could recall, Sayaka's face twisted into a rather pleased sneer, "What? Naaahh. 'sides, if anything were the case, she'd leave you for me; I mean, who wouldn't want a piece of this rockin' bod?"

The line was punctuated with the girl dragging her fingers along her form like she was showing herself for auction. But it wasn't that which caused Mami to wince with anxiety.

The thought of Madoka leaving, that constant, niggling sensation that maybe, _just_ maybe the pinkette would have had a last straw with the blonde somewhere along the way…

"What is _wrong_ with you Sayaka?" Mami finally manage to growl out, her teeth perpetually barred. The question was a desperate attempt to derail the conversation, for the sake of Mami's sanity.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? _And_ Madoka. What's wrong with her? Both of you came lookin' for me? Must be like zero degrees out there in the rain, catch yer deaths…" the blunette hicced, her words still a touch slurred.

"Because we were worried about you," Mami snarled, though the reply was laced with a level of concern. "We went out there because we didn't know if you'd be safe! We heard that something happened with Kamijo and we thought you might need a shoulder to lea-!"

"I DON'T NEED TO BE SAVED!" Sayaka shouted, slamming her fist on the counter.

Mami reeled back, though her hands were steady around the teacup, holding it in place as the rest of the counter shook.

"I don't need anyone else's help, okay? I don't want pity! I don't want anyone lying to me anymore!" this time Sayaka had started devolving into hysterical crying.

Mami reached out a hand and wrapped her palm around Sayaka's knuckles. The blunette tried to jerk away, but Mami was firm.

"Sayaka, why are you saying all of that? Where is all of this coming from?"

Sayaka looked up to her left, her chest and head bobbing as her breath bounced in inconsistent beats. Tears and mucus began to drip down her chin. She finally looked down at Mami's hand, her eyes screwed in anguish.

"Because I'm jealous…" she coughed, using her sleeve to brush away the mucus,  
"Because I'm angry… Because I hate both of you… Beca-… Becau-… I'm so goddamned lonely…"

Mami stood and walked around the bar, never once letting go of Sayaka's hand. She wrapped the younger girl in a tight hug and squeezed her close, pressing her chin into the cornflower locks.

"He hates me…" Sayaka snorted, "He hates my guts… I… I couldn't tell him, I can't… he hates me…"

Mami patted her shoulder, cradling the girl as she bawled onto the counter bellow.

Finally, the blonde found words to speak, "I… I know what it's like to be lonely… I… We're both here for you, remember that, okay? We'll help you through this, alright? We won't let you down, I promise."

Sayaka curled in tighter, but didn't react otherwise.

They stayed there like that until the blunette was sound asleep in Mami's arms, a mirror of how she'd passed out in Madoka's arms only an hour or so earlier.

Whence Madoka returned she helped Mami get Sayaka into a spare set of pajamas, not a pleasant task but a necessary one all the same. With that done she changed herself and the couple laid Sayaka to rest between them. There had been plans before the whole ordeal to 'spend the night in' together, but such plans were cast to the side.

Right now, Sayaka needed them, and they weren't going to let the girl dream the coming nightmares alone.

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Scaena Felix", _Puella Magi Madoka Magica OST_

O/o\O

The morning came sooner than Sayaka had expected. Still, the experience wasn't unwelcome.

She surprised herself with how quickly she hopped out of bed and how much spring was in her step, so much so that it took her a moment to realize that she wasn't in her own home, hopping out of her own bed.

It took her another moment to realize that she was in Mami and Madoka's apartment.

And then another moment after that to remember what had happened the night before.

It took her much longer than a moment to finally leave the room and face her hosts.

When she finally wandered out she found the two having a rather quiet breakfast at the table in Mami's living room. The duo looked up to her as she stumbled in, hands behind her back, smile reeking of unease.

"H-hey guys…" the blunette squeaked, giving a small wave.

Madoka smiled, "Good morning!"

"Looks like sleeping beauty decided to get up," Mami chuckled, hiding a playful grin behind her tea.

Sayaka scratched her head, not really knowing where to start the conversation, or if one even needed to be started. Luckily, Mami took mercy on her.

"There are waffles here, if you want some," the blonde said, lifting a plate.

The blunette's stomach chose that moment to voice it's opinion that, yes, it was in fact time to eat and not to talk. Sayaka nodded, gave a quick thanks to Mami, and then sat down besides Madoka in order to devour the offered food.

Minutes passed in content silence; Mami reading the paper, Madoka and Sayaka finishing their meals.

Soon enough though, it was time for the three to finally have the talk about what had happened.

"So…" Sayaka started, leaning back into the living room chair, "I… I'm sorry about last night guys… Thanks for taking care of me…"

"Anytime, Sayaka," Madoka chirped, leaning against Mami on the loveseat.

"As I said last night, we're both here for you, and we don't want to make a habit of letting you down, either," Mami smiled. The smile waned, "Though, I think it would be best if we address exactly what led to last night's episode? I'd rather we not dance around the subject."

Sayaka frowned, slumping a bit in her seat.

"Okay," she sighed, pushing her bangs up, "here it goes…"

And she explained everything; her jealousy of the pink and gold couple, Hitomi's ultimatum, her attempt to confess and the subsequent derision that had scared her out the door. She covered how she'd run from the hospital in a blur, how she's taken the familiar path without thinking and fallen down into the pit in the road, and how she'd stumbled into the bar to drown her sorrows.

"And that's where you two came in…" she finished.

Mami and Madoka appraised their friend for a moment afterwards, letting the whole story sink in during a quiet period of reflection. Sayaka's form was limp in the chair, almost as though exhausted by the effort of relaying her night.

It was Madoka who broke the quiet.

"And the kiss…?" the pinkette asked, shifting uncomfortable in her seat.

Sayaka met the fuchsia eyes and blushed, dropping her own to the coffee table in response.

"I… that and the outburst… I was, y'know, drunk, so I just… acted out. Don't read into it too much…" the blunette laughed, scratching at the back of her neck.

Mami bit the insider of her lip, deciding to retort the statement, "Sayaka… I've been drunk a couple of times. In fact, Madoka and I… when we started this…" She motioned between herself and the pinkette, "It took a few drinks to loosen up. You don't… _change_ when you're drunk; you just get more relaxed and more honest."

Sayaka pulled at the collar of the pajamas, still looking to the side.

"Ah… oh… well… I mean…" the blunette fumbled, tongue tied at the challenging statement.

"Sayaka, do you have… feelings for me?" Madoka asked, eyes wide as a doe's.

The other girl took one look at the innocuous face and swallowed.

"I… _maybe_ …" the blunette shrugged. She grit her teeth, "There's… there's too much in my head. I'm… I'm… not thinking straight right now, but I feel… something towards you. I'm sorry if that makes either of you uncomfortable…"

The girl wrung her hands between her thighs, trying to make herself as small as possible on the chair.

To her surprise, Mami reached over and gripped Sayaka's coupled fists. The blunette looked up to find the blonde holding both her hands and Madoka's, an offkilter smile suctioned to her face.

"It's alright, Sayaka, neither of us blame you, least of all me…" Mami spoke, diving to the heart of why the admission was so uncomfortable for her other junior. "Madoka is wonderful, more than anyone could have asked for… which is why I'm not angry. She's too kind for one person. She has enough love for dozens, which is why if you want to pursue her, I won't have any objections."

The blunette blinked, her mind slowly processing the words.

Her hands flew from Mami's palms, her body reflexively curving back on itself in embarrassment, face going completely flush.

"Eeehhh?!"

Mami sighed, knowing that her… _idea_ would probably have that reaction. She looked to Madoka, who was giving her an understanding smile.

"Th-that-?! N-no! No, no, no!" Sayaka sputtered. "I-I-I mean, yeah that'd be nice, b-but I just… everything with Kyosuke, I don't think that…!"

"Sayaka," Mami's voice was firm and controlled and served to calm the frantic girl ever so slightly.

Sayaka relaxed a bit in her seat, though her posture still remained drawn away.

"I… I understand what it's like to suffer rejection… I know how hard it is to be alone, when you feel like no one is there for you…" the blonde elaborated, tensing. "I… it might not be today, or tomorrow, but if you and Madoka… she and I talked about this, and if you want… I won't stop you from pursuing her."

The blunette looked off to the side, scratching her chin, "I… I appreciate the offer, but I… I think for a while I'm just going to put myself off the market… I… _might_ be tempted to but… I don't know."

"That's fine, take all the time you need," Mami exhaled. Then she looked up, "Though I do have one condition if you do." The blunette looked up, uneasy at the blonde. The older girl closed her eyes and composed herself, her hands still shaking with uncertainty, "I'd like you to allow me to… help as well. We can both help you. We can do it alone, but together… Well it would alleviate my fears and I know what you're going through. Whatever capacity you want that to be in, I'd be fine with, but I just want to put my own trouble thoughts at ease regarding this whole affair."

The blunette soaked in the condition, inhaling before letting out a nervous sigh.

"I… uh… I don't think that'll be too much of an issue…" Sayaka hummed, eyes plastered to the ceiling, hands rolling uncomfortably between her thighs.

"Sayaka?" Madoka squeaked, leaning forward.

The blunette laughed and scratched at her temple, "Y-yeah… y'see… I… It wasn't just the Madoka end of the equation that I… uh… _admired_. So… I guess that makes things a little easier…?"

You could hear a pin drop with the silence that followed. Mami's ears sudden felt like molten lead and Madoka's eyelids were threatening to shoot into the atmosphere.

Immediately Sayaka jumped on the defensive, frantically waving her arms in front of her, "Th-that's if I decide to take up your offer in the first place! I mean, you guys can't just throw this on me so soon after having my heart broken!" Her tone sobered the more she spoke, "I… I just want to take a step back and try to figure things out, but to know you two would be willing to go that far… It makes me feel like a bad friend, to be honest. I don't know if I'd be willing to go _that_ far to help someone…"

Madoka smiled and laughed, "Sayaka, you're one of the most selfless people I know; you'd do something like this in a heartbeat."

The blunette blushed and scratched the back of her neck, giggling unevenly, "I… I'm not too sure about that…"

The pinkette clapped her hands, "Well I _do_. And I know that I love you for it and many other things, and I want to help you get through this as best as you possibly can!" She slid down onto the floor between the loveseat and coffee table so as to be able to reach Mami and Sayaka's hands, cupping them in her own. "Take as long as you need, but remember that Mami and I are _always_ here for you… However you _want_ us to be here for you."

The emphasis left a blush on all three of their faces, though Sayaka didn't reel away. Instead she began to tear up.

"I don't know what I did to deserve someone like you at my side, Madoka…" Sayaka sniffed. She slid down onto the floor and wrapped her arms around the pinkette. After a moment, she looked up to the blonde and beckoned her down to join them, "You too Mami… you're both amazing…"

The chef shook her head in pleasant exasperation, sliding down into the hold.

After a short period together, Sayaka pulled back, laughing a bit as she wiped her eye, "So… If I do join in this… whatever… will I get a nickname too?"

"What?" Madoka asked, puzzled.

Mami groaned, "She overheard me calling you 'Kikya' last night…"

"Oh… Oh! Yes! I could totally come up for one for you!" the pinkette grinned.

Sayaka sniffed, grinning back, "Sounds like fun… though I never did get an answer from you Mami…" The blunette looked pointedly at the blonde, "What _is_ your pet name?"

Before Mami could manage a dignified response, she was interrupted, neigh, _betrayed_.

"Oh, you mean Moomi?" Madoka giggled.

The blunette looked at the steadily blushing blonde, not even bothering to repress a snicker and Madoka did nothing to restrain her own personal chuckle fest.

The blonde felt the reflexive need to hide her face, pulling a throw pillow over it in response.

"It's… actually really kinky in the bedroom…" Mami muttered, blushing harder.

Sayaka began belted out another laugh, joining in with Madoka's clutch-stomach chorus. And she Mami to admit, as much as she resisted, it was too hard to struggle against the temptation to join in.

The three that began their day on unsteady terms would end it knowing that regardless where their lives ended up going they'd be going there together.

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Jukai No Nakae", _Yuki Yuna is a Hero OST_

O/o\O

About five months later Sayaka approached the couple and expressed a desire to cash in on their offer.

They had been five rather arduous months for the blunette, filled with quiet reflection and nights spent crying into the shoulders of her friends. She actively avoided Hitomi and Kyosuke, going so far as to block them on her phone and on all of her social media accounts. For their part, there didn't seem to be much of an attempt to reach out after the first two or three weeks of her self-imposed isolation.

But that dark time slowly came to an end, and with the bold step to become… _whatever_ with Madoka and Mami (girlfriends, she supposed), she was hoping to perhaps put a capstone on this chapter of her life that wouldn't leave her sick.

Classes were out for break, Mami had a week off from her job, and it the festival season had rolled around. The air was jovial, energized, and the dawn of spring seemed like the perfect time to finally take the step and join a… _moderately_ healthy relationship.

At least, that's what she _thought_ , until the day the three had arranged for the occasion finally came around. She'd almost puked three times in the last hour, and Mami hadn't even arrived at the apartment yet. Nervous was an understatement at this point.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright? You really don't look very well…" Madoka prodded, slinging a concerned arm over the blunette's shoulders.

Sayaka shook her head, "Nnmm. I'll make it. Once Mami gets here and we… start, I think my nerves'll settle…"

The girl shuddered, but took in a breath that steadied her. The two stood on Mami's balcony, looking out at the evening streets. The skyscrapers and towers around them glistened in the orange sunlight, the warm breeze tickled their skins, and the sounds of the city, for as hectic as they were, lulled the two into a relaxed lean on the railing.

There had been brief discussion about, well, starting early, just her and Madoka, but Sayaka had argued that she wanted to do this right and that Mami needed to be there. That had led to a whole slew of implications, especially since the trio weren't exactly sure if the night was going to be a chaste night of connection or a wild night of consummation. For all the planning that had gone into the night, the three had talked surprisingly little about what would actually _happen_ once everyone was together in the apartment.

"Hmm… She was supposed to be here already," Madoka muttered, biting her lip. She pulled out her phone, fingers speed dialing the older girl as her foot hammered on the balcony.

"Madoka, stop it, you don't need to rush her for my sake, okay?" Sayaka sighed. Even with her complaint she was grateful with how it distracted her from her stomach's back flips.

"No, I'm just worried that something might ha-Oh!" Madoka stopped midsentence, eyes widening. Her index finger shot out to point at the intersection below them where a blue Prius was pulling up in the right lane, "There she is! Mami!"

Feasibly, there was no way the blonde would be able to hear Madoka's calls, what with the apartment being somewhere on a floor beginning in the late 'teens. All the same, though, Mami must have already been looking towards the balcony already, as the two could see, barely, the blonde girl wave back at them from her car.

And then Madoka's phone connected the call.

The pinkette went to say something, her tone chipper and pleasant. But all that sound was dulled out for Sayaka as she watched Mami pick up her phone to answer… and the drop it and fumble to grab it.

The car, for reasons unseen to the blunette, jerked forward right into oncoming traffic.

"MAMI!" Sayaka shouted, her voice cracking just as the semi clipped the front bumper of the blonde's prius.

In a shower of sparks and flame, their quiet night came to an abrupt end.

O/o\O

 _~Author's Note~_

 _Whew! Finally done! Roughly 11.5k words and 29 pages? I'm actually really happy with how a lot of this fic came out. Then there are other parts that felt weirder than I normally intend. What did you guys think? This pairing (uh… trio?) is one of the weirdest segments of Souls Beyond Time, so I'm not sure how well it's going to go over for you guys._

 _Did you guys really expect the tragedy train to have stopped after Charcoal? Puh-lease, tragedy is what fuels Souls Beyond Time._

 _That all said, we're almost to the halfway point. The next installment, which is one I've been looking forward to writing for quite some time now, will be the official halfway story of this series, at least in terms of installments. How back heavy or how front heavy all these stories will end up being, I don't know._

 _When it comes out, I don't know. I made a promise to myself to finish a chapter of my novel for each installment of SBT I write, and considering what I said about the latest chapter back in the forward… that could potentially be a while, as the novel chapters show no sign of shortening…_

 _Fun Facts!_

 _\- Mami's pet name for Madoka, Kikya, is short for Kikyakurui (_ _鰭脚類_ _) which is the Japanese word for seal. This is a little nod I added in for fans of the popular "Sealdoka" rendition of Madoka, which is adorable. I could probably write up a story about how she got it, but I'm lazy and I think it's more fun if you all fill in those blanks. ;3_

 _\- If you're wondering about Sayaka drinking, I tried to do some research on drinking in Japan, and apparently the drinking age laws are practically ignored and no one cards, so anyone can really drink over there, including 17 year old blueberries suffering from heartbreak. At least, that's what my cursory search told me. I could be wrong, but I'm running with it._

 _Don't forget to subscribe to my author account to get new updates of this series, since they all come in separate packages! Also favorite so that I know you enjoyed it! And if you're feelin' a little talkative, go ahead and leave me a comment._

 _Commissions are still currently open for anyone who's curious, and I would love it if anyone one here checks out my YouTube channel where I do story analysis, reviews, and skits! And, if you're feeling generous, maybe sign up to my , just look up /CelticPheonix (I mean, I have to do SOME shameless plugs, it's not like Fanfiction pays well. And yes, I DID spell it wrong, and I can't change it… Q_Q)_

 _That's all for now folks! Catch ya on the flip side! :D_


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